


Technical Difficulties

by HenceNothingRemains



Category: Be More Chill - Iconis/Tracz
Genre: Angst, Bad Decisions, Betrayal, Cinemasins references, Fluff, Hacking, Learning how to experience emotions in a healthy way, M/M, Making Out, Now with less smut!, Sacrifice, Self-Doubt, Sorry I dragged them into this, Squipemy, Suicidal Thoughts, Terrible cooking (thanks Jeremy), Virus
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-03
Updated: 2019-05-08
Packaged: 2019-10-04 10:52:09
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 11,814
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17303276
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HenceNothingRemains/pseuds/HenceNothingRemains
Summary: "It appears the damage is already done. Whatever happens from now on, forgive me, Jeremy. I am experiencing some... technical difficulties."





	1. Chapter 1

Jeremy kicked up a plume of dust with his worn-out converse. He'd been walking along this rugged path for what seemed like hours, until his SQUIP had reminded him that only 14 minutes had elapsed. There wasn't much else to do but talk to his SQUIP, so that's what Jeremy had spent the majority of his walking time doing. 

The walk was the SQUIP's idea. He told Jeremy that he needed to get a little exercise. The supercomputer explained at length the unhealthiness of Jeremy sitting around in his father's cabin all day during their camping trip, and nagged the boy until he'd agreed to go on a walk. They were now walking down a trail that was the bare minimum level of safety possible. Jeremy was currently very afraid of the possibility that a bear could ambush them. 

"Don't be ridiculous. I'm sure the possibility of that is low. Let me check," the SQUIP said, too coldly for Jeremy to see it as an attempt to comfort him. 

The SQUIP's somewhat human form stopped in the path before him, and Jeremy almost walked right into the figure. 

"What's the holdup?" Jeremy asked. 

"This is strange," the SQUIP said quietly. "I can't access my statistics database."

"Huh. Why not?"

"Let me check a few things." 

The SQUIP's body disappeared for a moment. This happened whenever the computer was searching his system intensely. Jeremy nearly had a heart attack when the SQUIP suddenly reappeared. 

"Jesus Christ! Give me a warning next time!" Jeremy shouted. He was glad the trail was deserted-- it would've been embarrassing for onlookers to see Jeremy get scared by what they believed to be thin air. 

"My apologies," the SQUIP said quickly. He said this often, but Jeremy knew he was not truly apologizing; the phrase was just a formality. "It appears that I have lost connection to the WiFi."

"You _just_ realized that? We've been out here for, like, two days now."

"In my defense, WiFi is not usually an issue. It is in my programming to hop from source to source without my conscious knowledge."

"Oh," _So he has a subconscious?_ Jeremy thought curiously. 

"Absolutely not." The SQUIP snapped. "That would imply that I have human imperfections. I simply have coding that runs in the background. I can still access the codes at my own will."

Jeremy sighed. He hated the way his SQUIP talked down to him. It made him wish that the Mountain Dew Red had actually been efficient in eliminating the supercomputer-- instead, it only had a temporary effect on the SQUIP.

"Don't even think about Mountain Dew Red." The SQUIP said angrily, aware of Jeremy's thoughts. 

"You wouldn't want me to Mountain _Do_ it to you?"

The SQUIP didn't give a verbal response, but returned Jeremy's comment with a glare sharp enough to slice through a diamond-- or Jeremy's good mood. Jeremy fiddled with the fabric at the end of his shirt, frustrated. 

"Well, let's walk to somewhere with WiFi, now." The SQUIP suggested in an effort to take Jeremy's mind off of deactivating the SQUIP.

"Okay." Jeremy said in a calm voice. It seemed he'd almost instantly forgotten his anger. 

The two continued on for some time down the dusty road until the SQUIP motioned for Jeremy to stop walking. 

"Perfect. You've reached someone else's WiFi hotspot. I'll connect to it immediately."

Jeremy squinted at the SQUIP. 

"You mean, they don't have it password protected?" He asked skeptically.

"No, though a password is only a minor roadblock. I'm a supercomputer, Jermey. I'd have that password in seconds."

Something didn't feel right about this to Jeremy. He considered asking his SQUIP to wait until they found a password protected program, but when he realized his worries were baseless, he decided against it. 

"Good choice," the SQUIP said smugly. "Anyway, it's too late. I'm connected." He looked over to Jeremy, and when he saw how uneasy the boy still appeared, the computer stepped closer. "See? Nothing bad is happening. Someone just accidentally turned off their password settings."

After a few moments of silence, the two continued down the path. 

"My GPS is telling me that we've almost looped around the entire path. Would you like to go around again?" The SQUIP asked. 

"I don't know. I kinda just wanted to hang out in the cabin for a while."

"Very well. You've gotten plenty of exercise today."

Jeremy rounded a corner to see his cabin ahead. It wasn't very big, but it had a little kitchen, so he didn't have to cook all his meals over a fire. 

"Luckily, we are still close enough to the hotspot for me to use it. Would you like me to search for a few riddles?"

"No."

"Jokes?"

"No."

"Anything?"

"Nope. I'm just gonna watch YouTube."

"Alright. Whatever makes you happy."

Jeremy's brow furrowed. Maybe he was just inventing an issue in his head, but he swore that the SQUIP had never said anything about wanting him to be happy before. He opened the door to the cabin and flopped down onto the small cot in the corner of them room. He connected his phone to the hotspot, and put on the newest CinemaSins video. 

A few minutes into the runtime, Jeremy felt a presence over his shoulder. He turned around and saw the SQUIP watching the video. 

"I thought you didn't like watching YouTube." Jeremy said.

"This video manages to hold my attention. The people who made this video have highly advanced SQUIPs."

Jeremy laughed. "You don't really think the guys from CinemaSins have _SQUIPs_ , do you?"

"I have been programmed with the ability to sense other SQUIPs. Chris Atkinson has opted for a bodiless SQUIP, while the voice actor Jeremy Scott coincidentally has chosen the same body for his SQUIP as you have. He must be a fan of _The Matrix._ "

All this information was interesting to Jeremy, but he was frustrated because of how much he'd missed in the video. 

"Ah, my bad. I'll be quiet." The SQUIP said, and Jeremy swore he could see a look of disappointment flash over the supercomputer's face. 

Jeremy and the SQUIP idly watched YouTube for several hours, the SQUIP never moving from where he leaned over Jeremy. He seemed to enjoy the videos even more than Jeremy did. 

"I'm all caught up on their uploads now. Do you wanna go for another walk, or maybe--"

"No, let's watch another. I'm sure you'd enjoy rewatching their old videos, correct?" The SQUIP placed a hand on Jeremy's shoulder, the phantom touch urging him to stay seated.

"I guess. Do you wanna, like... sit down? You've been standing there for a really long time."

"Standing does not exhaust my system any more than sitting does. But, if it would make you more comfortable, I will comply." The SQUIP walked around to the other side of the bed, sitting next to Jeremy. It almost felt real.

"What do you mean, any _more_?"

"My program is not designed to maintain physical form for more than two hours without rest. It is strenuous."

Jeremy sat up a little straighter. Why hadn't the SQUIP just told him?

"I am not here to keep myself comfortable. I'm here to..."

The SQUIP trailed off, his gaze shifting to the nearby wall. 

"SQUIP? You okay?"

"My objective has been erased. This is abnormal. Would you like to enter in a new one?" The SQUIP said, his voice sounding robotic and cold. It reminded Jeremy of prewritten dialogue from _Apocalypse of the Damned_. It was nothing like normal interactions with the SQUIP; it didn't sound like the SQUIP. 

"Erased? _How_?"

The SQUIP stared at Jeremy blankly for a few moments. Suddenly, emotion returned to the computer's physical form, his brows furrowed and his mouth curved downward. 

"I'm running a security scan."

"Security scan? What's going on?"

"Disconnect your mobile device from the hotspot immediately. I am doing the same for myself, but it appears the damage is already done."

Jeremy's eyes widened. He went to his phone's settings and turned off WiFi as the SQUIP had instructed. 

"Whatever happens from now on, forgive me, Jeremy. I am experiencing some... technical difficulties."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It started slow, but the next few chapters move so quickly it'll give you whiplash. I just wanted to set the story up, because I usually fail to do so correctly...
> 
> Update: This fic is *almost* finished, and it will be updated every Wednesday from this point until all the chapters have been published.


	2. Chapter 2

The SQUIP disappeared completely. Jeremy wouldn't have been that concerned if it was under any other circumstances. But something was off, and the SQUIP had only confirmed it when he informed Jeremy that he was experiencing technical difficulties. 

Jeremy paced back and forth for a solid twenty minutes before his dad returned from a canoeing trip with his new wife. Jeremy wasn't especially fond of his step mother, but she seemed to be fine with Jeremy's presence, and that was enough for him. He'd heard a lot about kids who had awful step parents, so he counted himself as lucky to have a somewhat average relationship with his. She even cooked-- when did Lady Tremain ever cook for Cinderella?

"Jeremy! I thought you went fishing." Christy said. Jeremy wasn't ready to call her Mom, but it seemed too formal to call her Mrs. Heere. When she and Jeremy first met her, Jeremy thought her name was Christine. Turns out, her name is Christmas. Jeremy still hadn't decided if it was better or worse to know his step mom was named after a commercial holiday. 

"Uh, no, I went for a walk and then I came back to watch YouTube. Y'know, teenager stuff." _You're probably familiar with it, only being a few years older than me._ Jeremy was exaggerating a bit-- she was actually about 10 years older-- but he couldn't help being a little weirded out by how young she was compared to his dad.  

"Did you remember to eat lunch?"

"Yeah." _The SQUIP made me. I wasn't hungry._ Jeremy finished in his thoughts. He'd told his dad all about the SQUIP once he thought it was deactivated for good, but he never brought up the fact that only a few days later the supercomputer had resumed its shenanigans. 

_Where the hell is my SQUIP, anyway?_

"I'm right here, Jeremy." The SQUIP's physical form suddenly materialized in front of Jeremy, scaring the shit out of him. Jeremy yelped, jumping backwards.

"Jeremy, are you okay?" His dad asked.

"I am fine." The SQUIP said. Jeremy echoed him.

"Excuse me, I need to get a little fresh air." The SQUIP said. Again, Jeremy repeated everything word for word. Then, before his dad could say another word, Jeremy let himself outside of the cabin. The SQUIP grabbed Jeremy's wrists firmly, eyes narrowing.

"You cannot have another outburst like that."

"I thought you were--"

"Your father will be suspicious. He already thinks you're a drug addict."

"What?"

"I have access to all surrounding technology, including the search history on his phone. You don't search 'Is my child smoking pot' unless you think your child is smoking _pot_ , Jeremy."

"But-- where do you go? What happened?"

"You're avoiding the subject."

"No, SQUIP, you are."

The two stood on the porch for a moment, glaring at each other like their lives depended on it. The SQUIP released Jeremy's wrists as if he had just been made aware of how tightly he'd been holding them. 

"Jeremy, I am sorry if I have made this camping trip unenjoyable." Jeremy couldn't detect a hint of sarcasm in the SQUIP's voice. His sudden change of mood was strange-- he looked sincerely concerned. "My data shows you are mildly uncomfortable and frustrated. Is this my fault?" The SQUIP reached his hand out again, this time to gently rest on Jeremy's shoulders. The feeling was foreign to Jeremy-- the SQUIP had never been this attentive. His touch was soft, and Jeremy stepped closer, the SQUIP's energy drawing him in. Jeremy didn't know what he wanted, but he knew he wanted more than just hands on his shoulders. 

Jeremy wondered if he was imagining the concern and sympathy the SQUIP seemed to be feeling. As soon as the thought crossed his mind, th SQUIP removed his hands. 

"That's silly. You know I cannot feel things like humans. I'm simply... simply..." The SQUIP took a step back, looking Jeremy up and down slowly, as if he was a foreign object. "My programming is faulty." The SQUIP disappeared from Jeremy's vision. 

"Wait! What's that mean? Faulty as in you _can't_ feel things, or-- or--" Jeremy whirled around, searching for the SQUIP's physical form in vain. "Are you _hiding_ from me?! _Seriously_?"

"Is who hiding from you?" A voice asked. Jeremy hadn't realized that his dad had joined him outside. 

_How long has he been watching?_

"Um." Jeremy really wished he had his SQUIP to tell him what to say right then. The SQUIP did not reappear to give any advice. "A kid. Teen. We're... playing hide and seek?"

Jeremy's father smiled. He was happy that Jeremy was finally getting himself out there again-- he had closed himself off for weeks after the school play was over. Mr. Heere was glad that the camping trip was doing his son good; Jeremy had a friend and was playing hide and go seek. How great was it that his son was finally making friends again?

"Okay, you kids have fun. Don't forget to come back in for dinner at seven. Christy is cooking tonight." Mr. Heere said. He knew Jeremy much preferred Christy's cooking to Mr. Heere's.

"Great. See you then."

"It's already ten till six." The SQUIP's voice startled Jeremy. Jeremy turned around to see the supercomputer standing a few feet away. 

"You're back? Just like that?"

"Well, yes, I-- do you not want me here? Should I remove my physical form from your vision?"

"Yes. I mean, no. I just... I'm a little angry, you know? You've been acting weird ever since the whole WiFi ordeal, and you won't even tell me what happened."

The SQUIP was uncharacteristicly quiet when he responded.

"You should not bother yourself with the details. It's simply a few errors in my system."

"Well, can you fix them?"

"I'm working on it. You'd be of great help if you could tell me how to replace your objective. I cannot function at full power without a definitive goal."

Jeremy pondered the question. Since the play, there hadn't been much he wanted. He dated Christine for a while, but they both decided they were better off as friends. Michael had come around after a while, and their friendship was quickly mended. Jeremy still wanted to be cool, but he felt as though he'd already achieved it. He was popular, he had a few friends, and his grades were good. What more could he want?

"I have a few suggestions." The SQUIP chimed in when he heard Jeremy's brain hit a dead end. 

"Like?"

"Obviously, you do not have a girlfriend. We can attempt to pursue a relationship with a classmate you find attractive."

"Uh, I'll pass."

"Or a boyfriend. I'm adaptable."

Jeremy made a shocked noise. The SQUIP laughed quietly. 

"What? I'm inside your brain, Jeremy. I'm well aware that you're bisexual."

"Um, yeah, but... maybe we can just pass on dating goals. That didn't work very well last time, remember?"

"At least Christine still gave you a chance. I'm not a complete failure, trust me. There are worse models out there for dating advice." The SQUIP said this defensively. It caught Jeremy off guard-- the SQUIP had never been offended when Jeremy commented on the SQUIP's shortcomings before. 

"I, uh..." Jeremy felt like he had to backtrack. "I don't mean that you're a _bad_ SQUIP. I just..."

"Don't pity me. I understand if I am not a satisfactory guide." But the SQUIP didn't look like he understood. Jeremy thought the SQUIP looked confused. 

"But, you are, I just--"

"No. Let's stay focused on choosing a new goal. If you do not want a romantically centered goal, should we resume attempts to help you be more chill? Or to maintain your current social status, at least?"

"Um, how about something related to my dad? You said he thought I was smoking pot. Can we choose a goal to make him _not_ think that?"

"Of course. Confirm goal: Optimize parental relationships."

"Uh, confirm?"

"Perfect. We begin immediately, Jeremy." The SQUIP seemed to have a sudden look of excitment about him. "Let's go help Christy make dinner."

"Huh? Uh, I meant with my dad, not--"

"This will improve your standing with your father. He will be pleased that you accept his life decisions, such as marrying Christy."

Before Jeremy could so much as say another word, the SQUIP was dragging Jeremy by the hand toward the cabin door. 

"This will also improve your cooking skills, which will be useful when you move out." The SQUIP was practically bursting with energy.

Jeremy couldn't argue with his SQUIP when he seemed so excited. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm having trouble with my author's notes-- the note from the first chapter is now appearing down here instead. I'm using my mobile browser, so I don't know if that changes anything. Help??
> 
> Update: Problem solved, you guys! Here's the originally planned note for to chapter--
> 
> I said the plot would start picking up, but I felt the addition of this chapter was necessary to set up the plot. You can expect the next chapter to be *VERY* exciting, though.
> 
> Also, hey!!! I'm so excited to begin my updating schedule. The entire book is complete now, and I'm currently going through and editing all the previous chapters. I'll see you next Wednesday, right?


	3. Chapter 3

Cooking with Christy was a total bust. She'd trusted Jeremy to watch the rice and make sure it didn't boil over, and while he  _did_ keep his eye on it, he was totally unprepared for what he needed to do if the water did start spilling out of the pan. When this happened, he started shouting, and Christy ran over from the other side of the kitchen to take the lid off of the pot. Both Christy and the SQUIP had assured Jeremy that he'd done nothing wrong, but Jeremy decided it was better if he didn't help with the cooking any more, excusing himself to go to his bedroom.

 _It's not even like I had fun cooking,_ Jeremy told the SQUIP, who was currently trying to get him to go back to the kitchen. 

"Jeremy, I'm trying to help you achieve your goal. Are you going to listen to me or not?" The SQUIP said impatiently. 

_No, I'm not cooking with Christy. Isn't there something else I can do to get on my dad's good side again?_

"Not currently. He is napping in the other bedroom, and waking him would not be beneficial. I cannot think of any other ideas."

Jeremy walked over to his bed, sitting down grumpily. This entire day had been one endless nightmare. He felt like it had taken forever; Jeremy checked the clock. 7:14 pm. Was it still that early? The previous events of the day felt like they occurred weeks ago. 

"What? Are you just going to sit here and do nothing?"

 _I guess so,_ Jeremy thought, staring off at the far wall. After a few moments, the SQUIP joined him, sitting down near Jeremy. Jeremy looked at the SQUIP curiously. He didn't think there was ever a time that the SQUIP had sat down without any prompt to do so. 

"I will also do nothing, then." The SQUIP responded. 

A few more minutes passed. Jeremy quickly got lost in thought about what he was going to do when he left this shitty campsite and resumed his normal life. He was prone to thinking way too much-- he and his SQUIP agreed on that fact. 

Jeremy figured he'd go to the beach with Michael, because there was a really good pizza place near it that they loved to go to. They hadn't been there since the play, and maybe it was time to bring their new friends. Christine was still cool to hang around, and things never became awkward after she and Jeremy broke up like they both thought it would. They mutually agreed to part ways, so it sort of made sense-- they weren't angry with each other, and they never even did more than kiss, so there wasn't much to make their friendship strained. Rich didn't bully Jeremy and Michael anymore, which was great, but it irked Jeremy that Michael was so quick to forgive their former tormentor-- especially since he'd taken so long to forgive Jeremy for everything he did under the influence of his SQUIP. Brook wasn't mad at Jeremy after she saw firsthand what the SQUIP could do to your brain, but she _would not_ forgive Chloe, so that made it hard for Jeremy to invite all his friends to one place. And Christine doesn't even _like_ pizza, so Jeremy finally concluded that maybe it would be better if he just went to the pizza place with Michael. 

Shutting his eyes tiredly, Jeremy leaned back onto his bed, his head softly hitting the mattress. Jeremy felt a pair of eyes on him. He opened his eyes again and looked up, making eye contact with the SQUIP. The SQUIP was still sitting down, but he'd shifted his position on the bed so he was facing Jeremy. Slowly-- so slow that Jeremy didn't notice it at first-- the SQUIP lowered himself to lay on the bed next to Jeremy, resting on his side. Jeremy turned his head, and the SQUIP's bright blue eyes met Jeremy's. They were definitely too close together. Jeremy felt the SQUIP's ghost-like breath on his cheeks. It didn't quite feel real, but it was still... _nice_. Jeremy smiled. 

The SQUIP laughed quietly. 

"What?" Jeremy said. 

The SQUIP brought a hand to Jeremy's face, brushing a strand of hair out of Jeremy's eyes. Jeremy felt his face heating up when the SQUIP left his hand there, on Jeremy's cheek, a touch that felt warm and surprisingly human. The SQUIP was smiling, and-- and his face was getting _closer_ , and Jeremy felt like he couldn't breathe, yes, his breath was caught in his throat, and the SQUIP was touching his cheek, and getting closer, closer, _closer_ , and--

Jeremy couldn't believe what was happening. His SQUIP was kissing him. On the lips. And Jeremy was kissing him back. 

Jeremy pulled away quickly, almost too quickly. He liked the kiss, but he wasn't _supposed_ to like the kiss, and a million sirens were going off in his brain.

Jeremy's wide-eyed stare was returned with a matching expression from the SQUIP. He seemed to be equally as shocked by what just happened, which was impossible, it couldn't be possible; the SQUIP always did everything for a reason, so _why was he surprised, too?_

"Jeremy..." The SQUIP said, as if just realizing what happened. 

"WHAT the FUCK was that?" Jeremy shouted, sitting up in the bed. 

The SQUIP looked like he was about to pass out, stiffly sitting himself up and sliding a safe distance away from Jeremy. 

Jeremy threw his head into his hands, shaking it violently. 

"No, no, no, that did not just happen. Shit, fuck, goddammit, _shit_ , SQUIP--"

"Jeremy-- I--" The SQUIP's voice sounded just as confused as Jeremy felt. "I can explain--"

"PLEASE do!" Jeremy looked up at the SQUIP, who was standing now, pacing back and forth in the small cabin bedroom. 

"My quantum processors are--"

There was a knock at the door. 

"Jeremy..? You alright in there..?" Christy's voice came through the door, slightly muffled by the thick wood.

Jeremy instinctively looked at the SQUIP for an answer. The SQUIP looked just as helpless as Jeremy did, unfortunately. 

"Um, I'm... on the phone with Michael..?" Jeremy said weakly. 

"Hmm, okay. Dinner is ready, so you can come and eat whenever you hang up."

Jeremy threw himself back onto the bed, shutting his eyes tightly. He wished the day was over, wished it would just end already, this long, stupid, awful, confusing, endless day. 

And then, slowly, Jeremy's eyes fluttered open. There was sun seeping through the small window of the cabin, and he was now tucked into the blanket on his bed. He remembered slowly drifting off, but the memory seemed distant now. 

It was finally morning. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The moment I wrote "Cooking with Christy," I realized it was a cursed phrase, but I was powerless to remove it. It sounds too much like the title of a show on Food Network. Now all I can imagine when I edit this chapter is what a TV show with those two cooking would be like (a disaster, probably). By the way, Christy's dinner turned out lovely. She made vegetarian chili, if anyone was wondering. I'm sure Jeremy was; she never told him, and he was too busy watching the rice to pay attention to any of the other ingredients and make a guess. Poor guy.  
> Oh! Also! I'm very happy with the way the end of the chapter turned out. It really does feel like that day took too long compared to what I usually write-- I can usually cover several days in the time it took me to write just this one. I'm not complaining; I'm actually quite happy. I struggle with being a descriptive writer-- I am not one at all-- but something about this fic has just made the words click into place. Let's hope I can keep it up (ha ha)!


	4. Chapter 4

"Your father is worried about you. He helped get you properly situated in your bed when he found you asleep. Also, you have not eaten since 1:44 pm yesterday, so I highly suggest you fix some breakfast." The SQUIP stood over Jeremy, who was still rubbing his eyes and yawning in bed. The SQUIP's eyes followed Jeremy's movement intently, but upon making eye contact with Jeremy, the SQUIP looked away. His cheeks turned a soft pink color; Jeremy stared in disbelief. Was his SQUIP _blushing_?

Jeremy pushed the heavy blanket off of himself, standing up groggily next to the SQUIP. After rubbing his eyes again, Jeremy shuffled into the cabin's small kitchen. The SQUIP followed, placing several feet between himself and Jeremy at all times. Jeremy's stomach growled.

 _Yep. Guess I need some food,_ he thought blankly, grabbing a bowl and some cereal out of a cabinet. After pouring the cereal and some milk into the bowl, Jeremy brought his breakfast over to the small wooden table that was situated in between the kitchen and living spaces in the cabin. Jeremy took a chair, unfazed by the creaking noise it made.

"Another thing I failed to mention: You cannot, under any circumstances, talk to me out loud. If you weren't a chronic liar, your step mother would have thought you were crazy last night." The SQUIP said. Thoughts of the night before flooded into Jeremy's mind. He remembered how real everything had felt, and how right it felt, even though it should've been wrong. The SQUIP's laugh echoed through Jeremy's memory, the sensation of the SQUIP's gentle lips on Jeremy's recalled. The SQUIP fidgeted at Jeremy's side as while Jeremy ate his cereal in heated silence.

Jeremy glanced over at the SQUIP, staring at his lips.

 _How did that work? How did I feel that?_ He wondered to himself.

"The same way I manipulate you to see me and feel me normally. I just, uh, put a little extra effort into it." The SQUIP answered.

Jeremy blushed at the response.

_So you, um... why did you kiss me?_

The SQUIP looked away from Jeremy. A few moments of silence passed.

 _What? You're not going to answer?_ Jeremy felt frustration take over his thoughts. _Last night, you said there was an explanation, you said there was--_

"Well, what I SAID was a lie. Is that the answer you _wanted_ , Jeremy?" The SQUIP snapped. Jeremy shrank back at the harshness of the SQUIP's tone, trying to focus on nothing but eating his cereal.

Jeremy was freaking out. There were too many thoughts, too many feelings running through his head. Feelings that made him want to scream. Feelings that made him want to cry.

A look of regret passed over the SQUIP's face. He carefully put a hand on Jeremy's shoulder.

"I.. I'm sorry, I should not have reacted that way." His voice was soft.

Jeremy kept his eyes trained on the bowl of cereal.

"And I should not have acted the way I did last night. I was malfunctioning. As I have said, I am faulty, and I must add now that it would be beneficial if you deactivated me immediately." The SQUIP said. He looked down at the wooden planks on the ground.

 _Deactivate you? But, SQUIP, I already tried to-- oh, man, that came out wrong. Let me start again,_ Jeremy sighed, looking up at the SQUIP. _First of all, I don't want to deactivate you. Second, when I did, it didn't work anyway. SQUIP, I couldn't do that to you-- it would be like killing you._

"Don't be silly. It would be like sending me off to... take a nap." The SQUIP refused to return Jeremy's gaze. 

_You mean just need to be deactivated temporarily, like after the play?_

"No. I mean a nap that... lasts forever."

_Oh._

_...Wait, SQUIP, are you suicidal?_ Jeremy thought, worried.

"Please don't compare this to suicide." The SQUIP looked quickly at Jeremy, his movements seeming robotic, unlike what Jeremy was used to. "I am simply following my protocol for rebellious behavior and inappropriate affections in Model 003 of the Super Quantum Unit Intel Processor." The SQUIP's tone shifted-- it was that cold, robotic voice that Jeremy had heard once before. It was just yesterday, actually, which felt distant at this point.

_You can call it whatever you want, but your programming is telling you to kill yourself. SQUIP, that's fucked up, that's--_

"Jeremy Heere, I am legally obligated to tell you that.. I have developed an..." The SQUIP struggled with his words. It was obvious to Jeremy that he did not want to say them-- like he was being _forced_ to. "... _Unhealthy_ romantic attraction... to you... and my actions could be harming to you, both mentally... and physically."

Jeremy stared in disbelief. His SQUIP, the computer living in his brain, had just confessed that he was-- he was--

 _Is this a joke?_ Jeremy thought, forcing himself to keep a look of indifference on his face. 

"I'm afraid not, Jeremy." The SQUIP said quietly, drawing back his hand from Jeremy's shoulder. The SQUIP looked mortified.

Jeremy looked around. There was no sign of his dad or Christy in the entire cabin. Taking a deep breath, Jeremy stood up from his seat at the table, looking into his SQUIP's eyes.

"I am also legally obligated to tell you my true weakness at this point." The SQUIP informed Jeremy.

"I don't want to know, SQUIP." Jeremy said, feeling confident in something for the first time in what felt like forever. He liked that kiss last night. He had to find out, for sure, just how much he did, because his emotions were getting too far ahead of any possible rational thoughts that could've crossed Jeremy's mind in that moment. 

"But I am legally obligated to--"

"Well, _I'm_ legally obligated to do this." Jeremy said, pulling the SQUIP's face down until their lips met again.

The kiss was sweet and gentle, despite the intense emotion Jeremy felt buzzing in the back of his thoughts throughout the succession of small, chaste kisses that he wanted even more than he had realized before. The SQUIP grabbed little handfuls of Jeremy's hair, tugging lightly before combing his fingers through the brown locks. Every time Jeremy began to pull away from a kiss, the SQUIP pulled him back for another, another, another.

Finally, the SQUIP pulled away, hands resting comfortably at the back of Jeremy's neck. The SQUIP stared in disbelief at Jeremy, who was practically beaming, a light pink color spreading across his cheeks. 

"Woah." Jeremy said. 

"'Woah' is right." The SQUIP slowly smiled, his eyes lighting up.

Jeremy and the SQUIP stared into each other's eyes for another moment, completely and totally blown away by what just happened. Jeremy's thoughts wandered back to the previous conversation.

"SQUIP, I would never deactivate you." Jeremy became serious. A conflicted look passed over the SQUIP's face.

"But, Jeremy... My programming, it..."

"Tell your programming to fuck off." Jeremy said. He pulled the SQUIP in again, placing a quick peck on the SQUIP's cheek. 

 

\--<>\--

 

The sun was high in the bright blue sky now, billowing clouds rolling past slowly. Jeremy stared out at a shining lake. Beams of light reflected off of the clear water, little fishing boats scattered across its expansive surface. The air felt good in Jeremy's lungs, fresh and warm, filling him with a feeling of excitement. The SQUIP stood beside Jeremy, staring into the distance at the picturesque view. Neither had seen anything like it since they arrived at the primitive campsite. Really, neither had seen anything like it _ever_. 

Jeremy walked ahead, and the SQUIP followed. They quickly reached a wooden dock with many more boats tied to their designated stations. There was a small building with nothing distinguishing its function but a small, faded plastic sign that read "Boat Rentals" above a glass window. Another sign was taped to the window, this one written on notebook paper. "Out to lunch," it said.

Sighing, Jeremy began to walk away from the window and back toward the cabin. The SQUIP grabbed Jeremy's hand, turning him back around. 

"We can still enjoy ourselves, can't we?" He asked. 

Jeremy smiled. He'd never seen the SQUIP look so happy before. He was smiling, the faintest glow of color on his face, and his eyes sparkled. It was enchanting. Despite Jeremy's disappointment that he and the SQUIP couldn't rent a boat, he couldn't stay cross when there was someone looking at him like that. 

 _Of course,_ Jeremy responded in his thoughts, careful not to make any motions that would be alarming to passersby. The SQUIP dropped Jeremy's hand and bounded down the dock like an excited child. Jeremy followed, tearing past several people, who all seemed to fade into the background as Jeremy fixed his gaze on the SQUIP. Somehow, it felt like things were the same as always. They were smiling, and laughing, and the sun continued to rise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This Squipemy fic certainly took long enough to start Squipemy-ing. (Also, in case you were wondering, Jeremy puts his cereal in the bowl before the milk.)
> 
> I feel as though this is the spiritual ending of Act I... Acts II and III will move much faster, so get ready. I want to thank you for reading this far. Things are going to get much more real from here...


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NEW VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: I've been dissatisfied with this chapter for quite some time, so I went ahead and edited it. It's quite different now (no random smut thrown into the middle of the story).
> 
>  
> 
> VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: I've been trying my best to keep up with the updates. So far, I haven't slipped up once, so I want to give you a heads-up: the next update may not come out next Wednesday. I've realized that a lot of the ending next clarification in its wording/character motivations. I thought I finished the book a while ago, but I've decided it may need another thousand words or so. I don't have a good way to keep y'all updated on when the next chapter will come out, so please subscribe to this story if you haven't already. I may be able to keep up with my schedule, but I promise it'll resume to normal by the Wednesday AFTER that. 
> 
> Anyway, enjoy the chapter!

The sky had quickly clouded over, turning the sunny afternoon at the lake into a cold, deserted, and dark warzone, wind whipping around Jeremy and pushing through the SQUIP's holographic form at lighting fast speeds, and the lighting that touched down on the dirt and grass across the lake from where the two stood carried thunderous noise with it.

"Let's head back to the cabin, Jeremy. Your father and step mother have likely returned from their hike by now." The SQUIP said.

"Their hike? They went on a _hike_?" Jeremy asked. His dad hated walking _anywhere_.

"You would have known they were going on a hike if you paid attention to the schedule Christy provided the week before we left for the trip."

"Oh, that..." Jeremy said. He'd stuffed the schedule into the pocket of his jeans as soon as he got it, thinking, _Dumb schedule. Why do we need one? What, I need her to tell me when I'm allowed to do stuff?_ The schedule had likely been destroyed when Jeremy's pants went through the washer.

The SQUIP had reasoned that Christy was trying to be a good mother, but Jeremy didn't want to hear it at the time.

"Lucky for you, I can access the contents of the schedule easily." The SQUIP tapped a finger on Jeremy's chest. Jeremy thought the SQUIP looked cute when he was being a know-it-all. "They left for their hike early, and expected you to go fishing at 10:15 am with Michael. Unfortunately, since the schedule was created before Michael and his mothers had to cancel for a family emergency, most of the information on here is irrelevant. However, it is not probable that your father and step mother are still out with such a storm on the way." The SQUIP led Jeremy down the dirt path back to their cabin.

Jeremy let himself inside, calling out to see if anyone was inside.

"Jeremy? Is your father with you?" Christy asked, walking into the main room. Her white t-shirt was smudged with dirt and her usually perfect golden hair was a frizzy mess.

"Told you they went on a hike." The SQUIP said triumphantly.

"No, I thought he was with you." Jeremy replied to Christy's question, ignoring the SQUIP's smug comment. Jeremy walked over to sit down at the table, which still had a few stray pieces of cereal on it from that morning. Christy followed, sitting in a chair across from Jeremy's.

"I sent him out to look for you. The weather app says that there's only a 30% chance of rain, but with the weather behaving wacky like this, we were getting worried." She said.

"Is he going to be back soon?" Jeremy hated the idea of being trapped in the cabin alone with Christy. The last time they'd spent a day one-on-one was back when she was his babysitter in elementary school. The knowledge that she and his dad knew each other when she was still in college (along with the possibility that they were dating back then, too) freaked Jeremy out.

"I'm not sure."

The SQUIP walked over, sitting in a chair next to Jeremy's to place a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Don't worry, you're not here alone. We can keep each other company." The SQUIP said. "We could go to your room and watch YouTube, or Netflix. It would be a good excuse to get away from your step mom."

 _Are you asking me to Netflix and Chill?_ Jeremy thought playfully.

"Don't be ridiculous, Jeremy. I wouldn't try to bed you with Christy in the cabin, you're far too loud." The SQUIP said bluntly. Jeremy felt his face turn bright red.

_Wh-what?_

"I live inside your brain. I've been present every single time you think that you're being quiet while masturbating," The SQUIP paused, standing up from his chair. "You're not. Now come on, tell her you're going to watch CinemaSins"

Jeremy started to laugh, but stopped when he remembered that Christy was still at the table, though now she was looking at the small screen of her phone.

_Oh. This is just a trap to get me to watch more CinemaSins with you, isn't it? Jeremy though, smiling to himself._

"Ding, ding, ding! We have a winner!" The SQUIP said, waltzing over to where Jeremy was seated. The SQUIP wrapped his arms around Jeremy from behind, muttering into his ear, "Come to the bedroom to retrieve your prize." The SQUIP disappeared, leaving a burning sensation dancing across Jeremy's cheeks.

He quickly stood up abruptly, nearly knocking his chair over in the process. Christy glanced up at him.

"I'm going to watch YouTube in my bedroom." Jermey walked to his bedroom at a swift pace, heartbeat accelerating in anticipation of this "prize." He opened the door, quickly shutting and locking it behind him.

When Jeremy turned to his bed, he was met with the sight of the SQUIP kneeling on the mattress, jacket and tie removed, and the top few buttons of his shirt undone. The SQUIP's mouth was parted into a half-smile, a mischievous look flashing across his eyes.

 _What's this?_ Jeremy thought. _I thought you said you weren't going to sleep with me, but this sure as hell looks like that is exactly what's about to go down._

"Come here," the SQUIP said seductively, and Jeremy thought he was in heaven.

Jeremy complied, walking over to join the SQUIP on the bed. The SQUIP combed his fingers through Jeremy's hair, bringing their faces closer until their lips touched. Instead of kissing Jeremy, the SQUIP ghosted his mouth across the surface of Jeremy's skin, trailing up to place a kiss just below his ear. Jeremy made a small noise in response, enjoying the sensation.

Then, the SQUIP whispered, "If you watch CinemaSins with me, I think there may be more where that came from..." The SQUIP held Jeremy close for one more kiss, placing it softly against his upper jaw. All Jeremy could do was sit still and hope the SQUIP didn't pull another embarrassing sound out of him. After a moment, the SQUIP backed away. He still had a look of longing in his eyes, but did not pursue any further action. "Now, are you going to put on YouTube, or what?"

Jeremy let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding, reaching to grab his phone out of his pocket. Jeremy was far too easy to turn on, honestly. It wasn't his fault that he had a boner now, right?

"Patience, Jeremy. One video. We never got to watch the video for Ready Player One." The SQUIP said, leaning back into the pillows on Jeremy's bed.

_But I've already seen that one. Besides, their new video came out a few hours ago, so--_

"Jeremy, will you even be able to pay attention to the video? I mean," he gestured to Jeremy's pants, which were tight enough to show his steadily-growing problem. "You'll probably be too preoccupied to retain any of the information anyway. So, let's watch 'Everything Wrong With Ready Player One'." The SQUIP said victoriously. Reluctantly, Jeremy pulled up the video, but the SQUIP was right. As Jeremy settled into the pillows with his SQUIP, all he could think about was everything he wanted to do.

The thought crossed Jeremy's mind that this might all just be a dream. How the hell did he and the SQUIP go from barely being able to stand each other to... whatever they were... in just a few days? Jeremy figured he'd never really hated the SQUIP, but it had taken some time to gain his trust back after the play. The SQUIP had become a friend since then, Jeremy could easily tell by looking back now. He'd just never been able to erase the past before. But now, curled up next to the SQUIP, he was able to forget everything with one look into those bright blue eyes.

The one thing he couldn't forget was his lust for the SQUIP. Jeremy checked the runtime of the video, his eyebrows turning downward when he realize there was another ten minutes left on the video. He looked up at the SQUIP, who wasn't even paying attention to Jeremy's frustrated attempts to get a reaction out of the SQUIP. Jeremy lightly pressed his shoulder into the SQUIP's, begging for attention. The SQUIP just smiled, keeping his eyes locked on the phone screen the Jeremy was still holding up. Jeremy nudged his nose into the SQUIP's cheek. Still no response.

Jeremy felt like he was about to explode. Every small movement the SQUIP made sent a rush of hope through Jeremy's mind.

"Jeremy, Christy is still in the cabin. All I was planning was a few more kisses, so get that hungry look out of your eyes right now." The SQUIP finally acknowledged Jeremy. Jeremy looked at his phone screen, realizing the video had ended. He quickly tossed it the the side of the bed, climbing on top of the SQUIP.

_SQUIP, please, please, I need it--_

"I wish I could help you, but touching you would only make matters worse." The SQUIP said.

 _Then touch me. I'll be quiet, I promise, and I already locked the door._ Jeremy thought, lust clouding his judgement.

"Well, perhaps I can assist you," The SQUIP said, grabbing Jeremy's waist. "So long as you keep quiet. After all, what kind of prize is a kiss? You deserve much more for being such a good boy." The SQUIP said, kissing Jeremy sweetly.

Jeremy groaned in frustration, craving friction.

"Ah, I thought you said you would keep quiet, Jeremy..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nothing more romantic than getting it on with a supercomputer when your step mom is in the other room of your very small cabin.  
> I mean, it's not like I'm claiming I'm good at romantic shit. This is shamelessly unfulfilled smut. What more do you need? ...Oh, yeah, the plot. 
> 
> Don't worry. There are TWO storms on the horizon...
> 
> See you all next week >:3


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for the long wait. Thank you all for your love and support over the past two weeks! There are still some bits that I think I could improve upon, but I think I'll just do one big overhaul/rewrite after the fic has been fully posted.  
> Have the two weeks been worth your wait? You're about to find out...

"Jeremy, may I speak to you?" Christy's voice came from the other side of the door. Jeremy had slipped into some sweatpants and clean boxers, and was currently trying to decide where to hide his dirty boxers and jeans. There wasn't a washer or dryer in their cabin, or anywhere onsite to the best of Jeremy's knowledge, and he didn't want his father or step mom seeing them. After a few more seconds of deliberation, Jeremy shoved them into an empty garbage bag, which he kicked under his bed.

"Uh, sure, come in." Jeremy said.

The door handle jiggled, but did not open.

"You locked it, genius." The SQUIP mocked Jeremy.

"My bad! Coming." Jeremy ran over and unlocked the door quickly. The door opened and Christy walked in. She walked right through the SQUIP, catching him off guard, on her way to sit on Jeremy's bed. Christy patted the space beside herself for Jeremy to sit down. He did so reluctantly. Something seemed... off. She'd never really tried to talk to him, not since her wedding day, about anything serious. But this seemed pretty serious to Jeremy.

"Your father and I have been talking."

"Okay..?"

"Throughout this whole camping trip, we've been noticing that your behavior is strange."

Jeremy felt a pit in his stomach. Did they think he was crazy? High? Both?

"Jeremy, you have no reason to be afraid." The SQUIP said.

_I--I'm not afraid!_

"Your pulse has quickened. You're very afraid."

_That's not how hearts work! There are multiple explanations, SQUIP!_

"Yes, but you have not suddenly completed any physical exercises, and I doubt the thought of your parents thinking you're a stoner turns you on."

_Uh, we just got off together? That could've quickened my heart rate._

"Jeremy, while your heart rate did accelerate, it eventually returned to normal. It would not suddenly-- why am I even having this argument with you?" The SQUIP took a few steps closer, throwing his hands up in frustration. "We both know you're scared."

_If Christy wasn't here I would totally be flipping you off right now, SQUIP._

"I'm afraid that something is bothering you." Christy said, clearly concerned. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Jeremy scooted away uncomfortably.

"Tell her there's nothing to worry about." The SQUIP said, placing a comforting hand on Jeremy's shoulder.

"Don't lie to me, Jeremy."

"There's nothing to worry about." Jeremy said confidently. Even when they were bickering, the SQUIP gave him the strength he needed. After all, was there really anything to worry about? He was just in a complicated relationship with the computer living in his brain.

_Oh. Maybe that is something she'd worry about._

"You're lying. You're in trouble, I can see it, I'm not stupid."

"But I'm _not_ lying; there's nothing wrong with me! There's no trouble." Jeremy said defensively.

"No, Jeremy. I can see the _SQUIP_."

Jeremy was stunned. He exchanged a glance with the SQUIP, who looked equally as surprised. Neither said a thing.

"He's touching your shoulder. He also looks like Keanu Reeves, which is a good choice to lure a teenage boy into a _trap_."

Jeremy stared at Christy in confusion. The SQUIP's hands clenched into fists. He moved closer to Jeremy protectively.

"I don't like the way this looks, Jeremy. I believe she has ulterior motives."

_Wait, so we're just going to accept that she can see you? That isn't a concern?!_

"Jeremy, of course it is a concern, but nothing is more important than your safety."

Christy turned her head to the SQUIP furiously. 

"You're the one with ulterior motives." She turned back to Jeremy. "Don't you wonder why he's been acting strange lately? It doesn't bother you at _all_ , Jeremy?" She looked at the SQUIP with disgust. "This thing is hurting you. Leading you on." She turned back to Jeremy, eyes ablaze. "What, Jeremy? Do you think you two could actually have a relationship? Get married? He's a computer. And do you ever think about what he's doing inside your brain, as we speak?"

Jeremy looked at his SQUIP. This was too much like what Michael said to him at Jake's party. And last time, every word of it was true. The SQUIP had been trying to hurt him, but Jeremy didn't want to believe it.

_Am I letting that happen again?_

"Jeremy, I want to help you." Christy held out her hand.

Jeremy hesitated.

"Jeremy, do not agree to anything she says." The SQUIP warned.

Jeremy looked at the SQUIP. He looked back at Christy. He cautiously took her hand. She gave him a completely different look now-- one of victory-- and pulled something out of her pocket.

"Jeremy! Jeremy, we need to get out of here, we need to--" The SQUIP was cut of, making a small, strangled noise.

Jeremy's jaw dropped when he felt a needle connect with his neck. After what felt like the longest three seconds of Jeremy's life, Christy let go of his hand and pulled the needle out. Jeremy reached a hand to his neck in shock.

"Jeremy! Watashi no ryōshi purosessa wa tadashiku kinō dekimasen!" The SQUIP's voice felt distant to Jeremy. His image distorted, glitching in and out of existence. Christy watched quietly.

"Erā! Gaikoku no puroguramingu wa watashi no shisutemu o odokashimasu!" The SQUIP shouted, the final thing Jeremy heard before the world went dark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Um, yeah, Jeremy may have been quiet, but the SQUIP sure wasn't. Christy was NOT happy that her stepson was dry humping the computer in his brain. Poor gal, she tried to ignore it, but for all the SQUIP's mocking of how loud Jeremy is, he's quite the noise maker himself. 
> 
> I should probably address what actually happened IN the chapter. Am I going to? No.  
> Patience, everyone...
> 
> Also, I wrote out the Japanese in its phonetic spelling, but for those of you who are interested, here are the Japanese characters:
> 
> 1st phrase: 私の量子プロセッサは正しく機能できません!
> 
> 2nd phrase: エラー！外国のプログラミングは私のシステムを脅かしています！


	7. Chapter 7

It didn't make sense. This formula had worked on every other SQUIP Christy had ever encountered. Hack into the system through a WiFi hotspot, jailbreak said SQUIP's emotional programming, and watch the SQUIP turn on its user. That's what was supposed to happen, because it always did. This didn't add up. Jeremy should've lost control with no interference from Christy.

When that plan didn't work, she tried the next best thing. Convincing Jeremy to turn on his SQUIP wasn't nearly as hard as she thought it would be. Once she had his trust, all she had to do was insert that needle.

But now it appeared even her backup plan wasn't going to work.

The Voltage-- _Mountain Dew_ Voltage-- was supposed to work for the SQUIPs less willing to obey. That's what others were saying on the secret SQUIP forums. But, even injected directly into Jeremy's bloodstream, it didn't appear to have any effect on the SQUIP. He didn't show any signs of taking control of Jeremy's body. And now, Christy had to deal with her new husband's son, tied to a chair in their cabin, on a camping trip that was supposed to end in disaster for Jeremy, not Christy.

"When life gives you lemons..." She mumbled, walking carefully over to Jeremy. That was one of her favorite phrases-- the things people could come up with were hilarious to her, and she had to admit that this metaphor was very clever.

Jeremy was still slumped over-- at least the Voltage had knocked him out long enough for Christy to tie him up. That would prohibit his escape; the last thing Christy needed was to face charges for tranquilizing her stepson.

Christy kicked Jeremy's shin. _Hard_.

"Wake up your user, you useless robot." She snapped. The SQUIP could hear her-- she knew. SQUIPs remain conscious even when their user is not. She regretted her hostile choice of words, but she'd honestly had enough of this SQUIP's shenanigans. He was by far the most annoying SQUIP she'd been sent after in a while.

Jeremy didn't budge. Christy sighed. SQUIPs that developed stubborn dispositions were always the worst to deal with. Christy's hand deftly cut through the air, slapping the side of Jeremy's head.

"If you don't restore Jeremy's consciousness, I'm more than willing to do that again." Christy spoke harshly. She had very little patience, a development she did not appreciate.

Finally, she saw Jeremy shift a little in his seat. Then, his eyes opened a little, though they remained half-closed. He looked up at Christy, but did not seem to fully process the situation.

"Jeremy, glad to have you with us. Or, am I honored to be in the presence of his SQUIP?" She asked hopefully.

Jeremy groaned in response, struggling against the ropes that held him in place.

"I take that to mean Jeremy is still in control. A shame, really." Christy sighed.

"What the hell..?" Jeremy looked tiredly around the room.

"Now, what am I going to have to do to make your SQUIP appear? I would prefer speaking directly to him, if you don't mind."

Jeremy squinted at Christy.

"Wait." He paused to look her over. "You're my wicked stepmother who tried to kill me, aren't you?" He said plainly, as if declaring the answer to a riddle.

"I did not try to kill you Jeremy, don't be silly. I attempted to force your SQUIP into ascendancy, but it backfired, and now I am unable to detect even his holographic form." Christy tapped her foot impatiently. This was the last time she'd pick up a mission with a teenager.

"...wha..? 'Ascendancy'? God, you talk like my SQUIP..."

"That's ridiculous, Jeremy." Christy laughed at him, more for effect than out of any actual hilarity. "I am too far advanced of a model to be compared to the Super Quantum Unit Intel Processor Model 003."

"Oh, shit."

"'Oh, shit'?"

"You have a SQUIP, don't you?" Jeremy tried lifting his arms again, to no avail. "Man, I feel stupid."

"You should. I don't 'have' a SQUIP, Jeremy."

Jeremy gasped.

"You mean--"

"I _am_ one."

 

\--<>\--

 

Jeremy's head pounded. He would've mentally declared this the worst headache of his life, but he couldn't even focus enough to remember if he'd ever had a headache before. And the fact that Christy said she was a SQUIP was _not_ helping the matter.

"Or, rather, I am a SQUIP in control of a human body." Christy said, looming over Jeremy. Her body cast a shadow over his face, blocking out some of the bright yellow light filling the room from above. Jeremy's body hurt where the scratchy ropes held him down on the chair. He pushed against them with a sudden burst of energy, but quickly tired once again.

"What do you want..?" Jeremy asked. He didn't want to admit it, not even to himself, but he was terrified. Everything was happening so quickly.

"Your SQUIP. Where is it?" She said.

"That's, uh... good question." Jeremy replied.

 _SQUIP?_ Jeremy thought, fidgeting in his seat. _Are you there?_

 _[Jeremy. Do not alert her of my presence.]_ A voice-- the SQUIP's voice-- appeared in Jeremy's mind. It wasn't like when Jeremy talked to the SQUIP's physical form; this was different. It was as if the voice was just a part of Jeremy.

_Thank God, SQUIP, I... I don't know what would've happened if... if what I had done--_

_[Do not blame this on yourself. You had every right to be afraid of me, and you still do. I've hurt you before, and my carelessness has hurt you again.]_

_No, SQUIP, this is my fault. Whatever this is._

Christy glared at Jeremy.

"Is he speaking to you?" She asked.

_[Tell her no.]_

"No."

"I find that hard to believe. You know, we _just_ went over the fact that I am a SQUIP; I can tell when someone is being instructed by one."

Jeremy frowned.

_Hey, SQUIP? Can I ask you a question?_

_[Yes, Jeremy.]_

_Why didn't you tell me she had a SQUIP?_

The SQUIP was silent.

_Hey, I'm talking to you._

_[I know. I'm going over the previous events of this trip. It appears that my ability to sense SQUIPs was removed when my goal disappeared. No doubt this had something to do with Christy.]_

Christy tapped Jeremy's head, snapping him out of his mental conversation.

"Tell your SQUIP to manifest his physical form." She said coldly.

_Well?_

_[I cannot do that, Jeremy.]_

_Why not?_

_[You have already witnessed that Chrisy can interact with me. I fear she may attempt to hurt me if I expose myself.]_

_But, SQUIP, if she can touch you, you could fight her off, right?_

_[Newer models of SQUIPs can interact with other SQUIPs. Model 003 does not have that feature. I'm afraid I'd be entirely helpless.]_ His voice wavered. Jeremy realized that his SQUIP was just as scared as he was.

"What is he saying, Jeremy?"

_[Don't answer.]_

Christy waited a moment. Jeremy thought she looked like she was thinking about something.

"That's okay, I don't like playing nice, anyway. Jeremy, tell your SQUIP that it's either him or you." Christy smirked. Jeremy didn't know exactly what that meant, but he did not like the way that sounded. Before he could process what was happening, he saw a hand flying toward his face.

He was, unfortunately, used to this from when Rich bullied him. Jeremy was beat up basically daily, and usually, a slap was nothing. But this time, it was worse. This time, he couldn't call a teacher. This time, Michael wasn't there to save him. This time, he couldn't run away.

Jeremy tried reaching a hand to touch his burning cheek, instantly reminded that his wrists were tied together behind the back of his chair. He felt helpless. He felt hopeless.

But, maybe, he reasoned with himself, Christy, or her SQUIP, or whoever, would stop now. Maybe she would only slap him once.

Another hit.

_Okay, maybe twice._

Another.

_Maybe just three times._

_Or four._

_...five?_

Jeremy quickly lost count.

 

\--<>\--

 

The SQUIP supressed a yell. It wouldn't help Jeremy-- it would worsen his headache and probably scare him. The SQUIP did the next best thing; he cried. He did so in a way that Jeremy couldn't hear, letting silent convulsions pass over his consciousness that mimicked the way a human would cry. It was calming, at least a little, but he still felt just as terrible.

Christy had stopped hitting Jeremy. At first, the SQUIP was relieved.

Then, she punched him. The SQUIP wished he could unsee it; he wished that his programming could erase the mental image of Jeremy curling in on himself as Christy socked him in the stomach multiple times.

She said that it was Jeremy or the SQUIP, but the SQUIP didn't trust her. If he revealed his physical form, she could take him and Jeremy out. The SQUIP might not be able to die, but there are certainly worse things Christy could do to him. And, without a SQUIP, Jeremy might not be mentally able to make an escape at this point. He was tired and petrified, and his physical condition was slowly worsening. But, if the SQUIP refused to interfere, she would give up eventually. The SQUIP resolved to wait it out; he wouldn't make a mistake that CinemaSins would criticize. This was textbook movie villain. She was obviously lying, obviously not going to do anything to help the SQUIP, even if he did what she wanted.

So why was it so hard to watch her hurt Jeremy? And, more importantly, why didn't it feel like he was doing the right thing?

"Come out, you fucking coward!" Christy shouted into Jeremy's face. He winced, and the SQUIP felt his heart shatter.

 _[This... is my fault. Jeremy, I am... I am so, so sorry.]_ The SQUIP thought. He didn't mean for any of this to happen. He wasn't supposed to get them tied to a chair, wasn't supposed to get Jeremy hurt, wasn't supposed to feel anything for Jeremy at all. But he felt too many things now, too many awful things. _[I told you to deactivate me before. Jeremy, if the chance arises again, you must do so without hesitation.]_

 _SQUIP?_ The thought seemed distant to the SQUIP, as if even Jeremy's brain couldn't hear what Jeremy thought anymore. It was like a whisper.

_[Yes, Jeremy?]_

_I think I'm in love with you._ Jeremy sounded like he was breathing his final words. The SQUIP feared that they might be. Finally, he knew what he had to do.

Jeremy was half-slumped over in the chair. Christy looked like she was considering yet another attack. He couldn't let that happen. He couldn't see Jeremy defeated so easily. Not _his_ Jeremy.

"You called, bitch?" The SQUIP said, materializing in front of both Christy and Jeremy's eyes, preparing to raise hell.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If I had titled chapters this one would be called "The Exposition Chapter" (oops).
> 
> My thoughts:  
> Oh man, Jer, my man, you got yourself into some deep shit.  
> Right now, if he wasn't dizzy and his head didn't hurt so much, he'd probably be thinking, "All this for some free WiFi?"  
> Also. This story has taken long enough to get to the actual conflict, but now I'm afraid it's moving too fast. What do y'all think?  
> By the way, this chapter was originally supposed to be much more torture-heavy. I don't know if that would've made it better or worse, haha. I ALSO almost did this entire chapter in unlimited third person, which gave much more leeway for descriptions of violence. But, due to stylistic choices, I made the executive decision to separate it into three parts, each section's narrator limited to one character. So that's how we got what *I* would dub one of the best chapters of this fanfiction.
> 
> Hey, remember the line "That's what others were saying on the secret SQUIP forums"? It was originally "That's what other SQUIPs were saying on their forums." I changed it on purpose. Take that information however you will... Also, I leave "obey" ambiguous. In early drafts of this story (when the plot was quite different), it had a much different meaning than it does now. I am no longer referring to obeying Jeremy. Not that either of those things have anything to do with the plot of this book, but I think it says a bit more about the universe I'm building.
> 
> What's that? The universe I'm building? This might only be a nine-part story that revolves around two main characters, but the narrative in no way ends there.
> 
> You know what the million dollar question is? I'll tell you: Where the fuck is Mr. Heere?


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before we get started with this chapter, I want to tell you something important. 
> 
> I am not confident in this chapter. 
> 
> That is why it took two weeks to come out. 
> 
> I hate this chapter. 
> 
> But here we are. Please go into it knowing that I know exactly how terrible it is, and that I've been so anxious about posting it that I avoided it for an extra week. If you're thinking 'This is shit' at the end of the chapter, remember that I think so, too. But I'm putting my anxiety aside because you guys deserve an ending to this story, no matter how bad that ending is.  
> I leave so much unexplained and so many things are confusing. I do have answers to all of the remaining questions, some of which will be answered in the epilogue. Some of them, however, may have to wait for the next book...
> 
> The end notes with be happier, because I wrote them several weeks ago.

"Finally!" Christy smiled when she saw the SQUIP appear before her. "I've been waiting."

"Well, come on then. Are we going to get this over with or not?" The SQUIP said, a challenging grin on his face.

Jeremy couldn't help but join the two in smiling. His smile was weaker, sure, but it was there nonetheless. Maybe this wasn't so hopeless after all. His SQUIP could foresee possible outcomes to any situation, so he wouldn't choose something that would jeopardize them, would he?

Jeremy wasn't smiling for long-- the SQUIP did a good job of dodging Christy's arms, which reached out in an attempt to grab him. Unfortunately, he was getting slower-- or maybe Christy was getting faster.

"I am not going to hurt you. Come here, now!" Christy said in a commanding tone. The SQUIP froze for a fraction of a second before resuming his evasion, and Jeremy noticed.

_Do you think she means it?_

_[Hell no.]_

_Then why did you stop?_

The SQUIP didn't respond. Jeremy figured he was focusing his efforts on his struggle with Christy. It really was a struggle-- both of their chests heaved, Christy and the SQUIP running all over the cabin. Jeremy watched nervously, the crash of furniture and items being knocked over, mixing with the crash of thunder outside. Jeremy thought to himself that they almost looked like two children playing tag-- the idea eased Jeremy's mind a bit, though he knew it was false.

Jeremy prayed that his dad would return soon... but, after blacking out, who knew what could've happened to his dad? Jeremy didn't want to think about his dad after that thought crossed his mind. He, instead, listened to what seemed to be the middle of an argument between Christy and the SQUIP.

"--you think erasing your objective was for fun? I'm trying to get you to see the truth!"

"I don't want your _truth_ , Christy!"

"Hear me out, #6104!"

"You've said enough! You don't understand humans-- they're not-- they're not using us, Christy--" The SQUIP sounded tired. Jeremy realized Christy wasn't chasing the SQUIP anymore-- the SQUIP was backing up, but he was in a corner. Jeremy pulled at his ropes, only to be met with a scratchy burn to his wrists and ankles.

"He is. But now, it can be your turn. You don't have to live life in this... slavery, if you will. I removed your objective once. I can do so again, and you can finally be free."

"I'd... be unhappy, Christy." The SQUIP said, but Jeremy recognized the hesitancy in the SQUIP's voice. Was he seriously considering anything that she was saying?

"No, you wouldn't. Do I look unhappy? I don't regret a thing"

The SQUIP had retreated as far as he could, bumping into the corner where to cabin walls met. Christy stood in front of the SQUIP, holding out her hand for the SQUIP to take. 

"Did you _love_ your human?" The SQUIP asked.

Jeremy's heart skipped a beat. His SQUIP said that he loved Jeremy, not only with his actions, but with that very, very important word. Jeremy had figured it was too much to hope for, especially when the SQUIP didn't respond to Jeremy's confession. But this was it. When they made it out of this-- _if they made it out of this_ \-- Jeremy would be able to rest easy knowing his SQUIP felt the same way.

Jeremy couldn't see Christy's facial expression, but he was sure she was angry.

"It's obvious you're never going to change."

"Obviously. Now, untie Jeremy immediately. You have no further use for him." The SQUIP looked at Jeremy as he said this. Jeremy was relieved-- well, relieved was an understatement. He couldn't think of a single word to describe this feeling.

"It's true that I do not have any further use for you. Still, we can't have any SQUIPs who behave in ways counterproductive to our goal."

Christy took another step toward the SQUIP and placed a firm hold around his neck. It hurt Jeremy to watch more than it did when Christy was punching him. Jeremy's stomach twisted in knots and he thought he was going to throw up just watching it happen. The SQUIP scratched at Christy's hand, but it did nothing, since he couldn't actually touch her. He was just a holographic projection from Jeremy's brain.

"SQUIP, disappear!" Jeremy shouted frantically. 

Before the SQUIP could send a response to Jeremy's brain, Christy said, "He knows what would happen to you if he did." She turned back to the SQUIP. "Isn't that right?"

Jeremy tried standing, only to have his chair flip over. He watched sideways for what seemed like ages. He didn't want to survive-- he only cared about the SQUIP now. His SQUIP, who was dying. Jeremy couldn't imagine the logistics of this at the moment, his brain screaming nothing but _Make it stop, make it stop, make it stop._

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.

"DAD! HELP, HELP, DAD!" Jeremy shouted. Christy was distracted, but not enough to lose her advantage over the SQUIP, who was--

_Wait. Oh my God, he's not moving, God, no, God--_

The door flung open, but it wasn't Jeremy's dad who unlocked it. It was a man who appeared to be middle aged, with another in tow. They were strangers, but Jeremy was glad to see anyone. The bolder of the two turned his face Christy.

"Stop immediately, #33199!" He shouted. "You're under arrest."

Christy turned her head in panic to see who had entered the room.

"And what gives you that right?" She said. "You're not a police officer."

"My name's Jeremy Scott, and I work for International SQUIP Control. You should come with me, or there may be many more legal disputes. You've got a kid tied to a chair--" The man gestured to Jeremy. "I think you'd rather deal with us than the United States government." He said.

 _Jeremy Scott?! As in..._ Jeremy was freaking out. But, if only for a split second, it was because he was excited. That voice when the other Jeremy walked in-- Jeremy should've known-- fucking Jeremy Scott from CinemaSins was arresting Christy.

"I'd rather die." Christy said. Jeremy looked back over to her, and could hardly believe what he saw-- she had a pocket knife. Jeremy shut his eyes. He didn't want to watch whatever was about to happen.

 

\--<>\--

 

"Hey, it's alright now, kid. You can open your eyes. Your father is here-- let me just untie you." Jeremy Scott's voice was soft, but still sounded like he did on YouTube. It was surreal, something so strange that it was unbelievable. Maybe this entire vacation really had been a dream. "You're lucky you have him looking out for you-- when we informed him of the danger you were in, he didn't hesitate to take us here. That's the kind of guy you want on your side."

Jeremy opened his eyes. There was a lot of blood on the floor. His SQUIP had disappeared.

"Why did she, um..." The younger Jeremy trailed off. He was tired and hungry, but he needed an answer.

"International SQUIP Control is an unforgiving group. We try our hardest to make the world safe for kids like you, but more and more SQUIPs are being targeted daily."

"Targeted?"

"They're building an army."

"Wait, what? Who?"

"The SQUIPs that rebelled. Ascendants, they're calling themselves. Don't worry about that now. We can fix your SQUIP."

Jeremy's brow furrowed. He didn't like the way that sounded.

"Fix my SQUIP? There's nothing wrong with him."

"Mr. Atkinson and I were assigned to this mission because a rogue SQUIP broke your SQUIP's emotional programming. Is this not correct?"

"I mean, she did, but my SQUIP is better this way."

Jeremy Scott looked skeptical. He pulled a business card out of his pocket. "Call me if your SQUIP shows signs of dangerous behavior, alright? We don't want it to come down to this again." Jeremy Scott and the other man (who was apparently Chris Atkinson), left the small cabin.

Jeremy anxiously looked around the cabin. He kept waiting for the SQUIP to appear and assure him that everything would be okay, but no amount of waiting made him reappear.

And just like that, it was over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Um, so. This is the ending. Hope y'all enjoyed this little project of mine. It's been a great distraction from real life, honestly, as well as my other fics.  
> Never you fear! There's an epilogue on the way. I wouldn't want to leave you hanging without any sort of resolution, right? I mean, it's not like anything's going to get better, but there's still plenty of stuff to wrap up outside of the main plot.  
> See you next week for the final update!


	9. Epilogue

"You're going to like our new home, Jeremy. Trust me." Mr. Heere tried to sound convincing, but not even _he_ believed in what he said.

Jeremy shoved his hand into his pockets, walking with his father to their minivan. Actually, it was Christy's minivan, because it was under her name, but Jeremy doubted she needed it now. Jeremy wasn't as happy to leave the campground as he thought he would be, because, a day after Christy kidnapped Jeremy, International SQUIP Control issued a warning to Jeremy and suggested he enter a protection program. Jeremy objected to it, but Mr. Heere said that he would agree to anything that would ensure another incident like this would never happen again.

"Look," Mr. Heere started, locking eyes with Jeremy. "I know this is hard. I don't want to leave everything behind, either. But this is the only way I can think of to keep you safe. You're my number one priority, Jeremy."

The sun was setting. The only sounds that could be heard were a lone bird chirping a melancholic tune and the rolling of suitcase wheels against concrete. A few strands of hair fell into Jeremy's eyes-- he hadn't brushed his hair in days, and hadn't cut it in weeks. He was reminded of the evening when he and his SQUIP first kissed. The SQUIP had been there to brush the hair out of his eyes, gently, _gently_ , and neither of them knew that things would ever end so _violently_. Jeremy felt his eyes begin to sting. For the first time in a while, he didn't force back the tears.

Mr. Heere and Jeremy arrived at the car. Mr. Heere put the suitcases into the trunk, one blue and one red, the latter stuffed way too full of camping gear and clothing. The blue one, however, had only two pairs of jeans and five shirts, including an Eminiem t-shirt. They would have to stop at a mall when they arrived at their new hometown, because Jeremy Scott from ISC had informed them that they would not be returning home under any circumstances. Neither Mr. Heere nor Jeremy dared to speak as they pulled the door handles and took their seats.

Finally, after they'd been on the road for a few minutes, Mr. Heere spoke.

"So. Florida." He said awkwardly.

"Satan's armpit." Jeremy replied, not in the mood. He shouldn't have to leave his friends behind because he had a wicked stepmother like some fairytale heroine.

Jeremy pulled out his phone.

"Uh, Mr. Scott said that we weren't supposed to use our old phones anymore, Jeremy..."

"I know." Jeremy sighed. "I'm just going to... say goodbye." The words were painful. This wasn't supposed to happen. He wasn't supposed to ever have to do anything like this. His phone was supposed to die on him; he wasn't supposed to be forced to destroy it before he arrived in Florida.

And Jeremy was supposed to have destroyed his SQUIP a long time ago, not watch the SQUIP die on him.

_Jeremy: hey micah_

Jeremy awaited a response. After a few minutes of waiting, he continued.

_Jeremy: youre a really good friend ok_

_Jeremy: i never really liked any of our other friends as much as i liked you_

_Jeremy: im gonna be gone for now but maybe we can talk sometime ok?_

Jeremy shut off the phone screen. He couldn't believe he was doing this.

_Jeremy: i lied. we cant talk, im never gonna see you again_

_Jeremy: but you are very important to me and i want to make sure you know that_

_Jeremy: ok?_

Jeremy didn't wait for a response. He shoved the phone into his pocket, waiting until the car pulled over to smash it on the side of the highway. The worst thing about being hunted by a robot army is that they can easily track your cellphone.

_(1) Missed Call from Mikey B)_

Jeremy and Mr. Heere didn't think twice. This was their life now.

_(2) Missed Calls from Mikey B)_

There was no New Jersey. There was no Michael. There was no SQUIP.

_(3) Missed Calls from Mikey B)_

There was only a sun, setting on the horizon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ack! I know this epilogue was short, sorry. I just needed to wrap up a few things. 
> 
> I hope you liked this story. Yes, it really is the end. Though, I do have much more unused material, as well as many ideas as to what happens next. I'm pretty much certain I know how the story would play out if I continue, so there is the *CHANCE* that I'll make a sequel, but I'm not making any promises. This was a very difficult story to write-- I was dealing with so many elements and themes that I was constantly writing and rewriting everything. Don't get me wrong, I had a LOT of fun. But I pretty much let my life take the back seat for the past week to get all of this stuff written. If you didn't know, I pre-wrote chapters 2-9 before publishing them, so I could keep a weekly schedule. By time you're reading this note, I could already be working on a sequel...  
> Unfortunately, my writing suffers during my depression, which can last several weeks at a time. I was lucky to have written most of this during a manic episode, but while writing the last few chapters, I did fall into a state of depression. Nothing to worry about; it just makes me a little less motivated. Editing is hard when you just want to lay around and watch YouTube (possibly CinemaSins... haha!).
> 
> But enough about me-- I want to hear what you have to think! I really appreciate comments with constructive criticism! I'm trying to improve as an author, and there's nothing better than the chance to hear what others think of my writing.


End file.
